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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29343366">Fever Dream - A Mandalorian One-Shot</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavender_Nebula_Twilight/pseuds/Lavender_Nebula_Twilight'>Lavender_Nebula_Twilight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cara and Din kiss because why not, Din Djarin Needs a Hug, Din Djarin Sick, Din Djarin Whump, F/M, How Do I Tag, Hurt Din Djarin, I ship them so much ok, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm having too much fun beating din up, I'm new to archive help, Sickfic, Those Darn Spiders, Worried Cara, ok I'm done tagging bye, there aren't enough sick din fics</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:28:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,771</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29343366</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavender_Nebula_Twilight/pseuds/Lavender_Nebula_Twilight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Mando had been bitten by one of those spiders in the glacier hole, and what if Cara is the one that has to look after him when he collapses on Trask? Cara/Din kiss at the end cuz i ship them harder than Beskar, just a plain old sick fic with lots and lots of Din whump and worried Cara. Rated T for violence.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Din Djarin &amp; Cara Dune, Din/Cara - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Fever Dream - A Mandalorian One-Shot</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks for clicking on my Mandalorian One-Shot: Fever Dream!</p>
<p>Since I became obsessed with the Mandalorian, I feverishly search for fanfiction any chance I get, and I started thinking...why hasn't anyone written a fanfiction of Din getting poisoned by the spiders from the Passenger? It makes sense; spiders and poison often go together... Regardless, here I am to fulfill that desire for any wandering soul lost in the depths of fanfiction wanting Din to be utterly poisoned.</p>
<p>Like I said, I am a blooming die-hard fan, still a casual fan, so I don't know too much about the Star Wars universe. I apologize in advance for any incorrect information.</p>
<p>I love reviews also! And not because I'm bragging and I want y'all to tell me how great I am. Do you come across a chapter that you think could be improved upon? Some error you notice? Tell me! I strive to improve. :D But if you really like a chapter or something, again, let me know!</p>
<p>So, I think that's it! I hope you will stick around, review, favorite, follow, all that cool stuff. :D</p>
<p>Without further ado, please enjoy Fever Dream!</p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>
<p>Disclaimer:</p>
<p>I do not own the Mandalorian TV show, the Star Wars franchise, or any of the characters. That all belongs to their original makers. Everything to them. Any added dialogue, plots, or characters are mine, but nothing else. I don't own it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>My frog companion rushes out of the broken Razor Crest and onto Trask. A smile crosses her amphibian face and she whirls around, taking my hand. She shakes it violently, croaking.</p>
<p>I grit my teeth as the movement makes my right arm pulse with pain. "Y-yes. You're welcome."</p>
<p>The traveler gives one last ribbit and strolls into the harbor town.</p>
<p>I let out one of my trademark sighs and glance down at the child. "You okay, kid? That ride too long?"</p>
<p>He squeals in answer.</p>
<p>"Hello, sir!"</p>
<p>I raise my head to be greeted by a fancy droid.</p>
<p>"Your ship looks like it needs some repairs. We droids can get it fixed up for you as long as you pay your fee by the end of your stay."</p>
<p>I hand him five-hundred Imperial credits. "Sure. That cover me?"</p>
<p>The droid squints at the currency, then the Child. "No, of course it doesn't, but I'll allow it this time. This little guy can't be living in a ship lookin' like that!" He jabs a mechanical finger toward my ship. "What in all of the galaxy did you do to mess it up so badly?"</p>
<p>Shaking my head, I walk off in the town's direction. I slip into the main square and wood creaks under my feet. The reek of dead fish and pond slime hit me like a brick wall. The harbor bustles with ships of all sizes captained by so many different species I can't count them all. Nets hang from house roofs and wooden poles and piles of deceased fish stack on every boat. The bleak, grey sky reflects off each sea vessel, casting a dreary light over the city.</p>
<p>Creatures crowd the square, jostling me from all sides. I grip the kid tighter. Every shove sends a zing of pain through my right arm. I spot Cara at the end of the crowd and I plow through them.</p>
<p>Stumbling from the ranks of the throng, I reach her. "Cara."</p>
<p>She smirks. "Mando. So, what's the plan?"</p>
<p>"The frog woman whom I escorted here will meet me tonight at the eastern port with her husband. There, we'll discuss the locations of the Mandalorians." I brush a piece of rope from my pauldron.</p>
<p>Cara nods. "Sounds like a plan. I saw the Razor Crest come in. It looks pretty banged up."</p>
<p>I chuckle. "That's an understatement."</p>
<p>"We can camp out in my ship until tonight." She pushes back from the wall. "Unless, of course, you'd like to do a little sightseeing?"</p>
<p>"Absolutely not." The thought makes me nauseous. More than I already am.</p>
<p>Cara raises her eyebrows. "All right, then. Follow me."</p>
<p>A short trek along the docks brings us to her ship. She opens the hangar. "If you want to get some rest, there's a mattress in the storage hold. But if you'd rather practice shooting, piloting, or staring silently into the distance, then you're welcome to."</p>
<p>I scoff and set the Child down. "You know me too well."</p>
<p>"I don't know about you, but I'm starving. I'm getting some food. There's a market around the corner." Cara folds her hands behind her head and pivots. "You joining me?"</p>
<p>"Why not? The kid should see some new scenery too. We can arm wrestle later."</p>
<p>We push through the crowd into a breakaway path where creatures of all species stand behind booths selling delicacies: fish eyes, salmon heads, buttered seaweed, spider-leg stew, chowder, Jawa juice, roasted meats dripping with oil, bone broth, tropical fruits from Sorgan, green and blue milk…</p>
<p>"Lots of stuff around here, huh?" Cara peers over her shoulder.</p>
<p>"I blew all of my credits fixing my ship. So you'll have to treat." My limbs shake like Gungan haillus and I lean against a barrel. Sweat trickles down the back of my neck and weakness floods through my legs. <em>What the hell is wrong with me?</em></p>
<p>Cara narrows her eyes. "You okay?"</p>
<p>"Just tired. Didn't expect to be holed up in an ice cavern for a day, let alone fighting off a horde of spiders." I shrug. "Took a lot out of me." I force a smile under my helmet. But flashbacks make my fists clench:</p>
<p>
  <em>The flashes of red from my blaster eliminate spider after spider, but there's always another hungry arachnid taking its place. The skittering legs, puffy eyes, hissing mouths, and green blood overwhelm me, and they start pouring into the cockpit. The Child squeals beside me. I whirl around and stomp on a spider approaching him. Pain darts through my right arm and I wrench one of the foul creatures from my skin. Blood leaks onto my undershirt.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I torch the cracks of the door and the spiders burn.</em>
</p>
<p>I snap to attention at Cara's voice.</p>
<p>"Well, make sure to get some good rest tonight. What do you want from the market?" She fiddles with some credits.</p>
<p>"Get the kid some bone broth. I'm fine for now."</p>
<p>"That's not an answer. I'm getting you some spotcha, whether you drink it now or not." She thumps me on the shoulder. "My ship's at the east landing brig. Head over there; I'll be with you shortly." With that, she disappears into the swarming crowd.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Cara's ship glints in the grey light and I plod toward it on heavy legs. Panting, I grit my teeth as the world spins. <em>I'm just tired. I need a long, uninterrupted rest…</em> My head throbs fiercely, and each jab of pain cuts through my skull like a hammer. Sweat gathers on my brow and every breath rasps through my helmet. The weakness that had flooded through me earlier attacks me again, sucking the strength from my limbs. I hiss in pain and brace myself against the side of the ship.</p>
<p>The kid whines and blinks up at me.</p>
<p>"I'm okay, kid. I'm just tired."</p>
<p>He reaches his little hand up to me and pats my waist, his golden-brown eyes examining me.</p>
<p>I rub the top of his wrinkled head. "Really. Don't worry about me."</p>
<p>The Child humphs and wriggles into his blankets.</p>
<p>I stumble up the hatch and observe the neat interior of Cara's ship. The sight makes me smile– the Razor Crest, even without needing repairs, isn't the neatest of vessels, often littered with broken weapons, bounty remains, and at the current time, spiderwebs and green blood. I seldom have passengers.</p>
<p>I don't have to wait long for Cara to return with marketplace goods. She closes the hatch and tosses me a bottle of spotcha. "Shove it in your ship for all I care. Just drink it. At some point."</p>
<p>I scoff, easing myself into a chair. Pain laces up my right arm and a numbing sensation prickles through me. A chill racks my body. I swallow a groan and grip the armrest. <em>Is it just the stuffy air, or is it getting harder to breathe?</em></p>
<p>Cara slips the kid his bone broth. "Drink up, little guy." She kicks her legs back on a barrel and takes a seat across from me. "You sure you're okay? You're acting weird."</p>
<p>I brush off her statement. "I'm fine." I clamber to my feet– a little too fast– and white overwhelms my vision. A few agonizing seconds later, I come back to reality and walk as normally as I can to her rack of weapons, pretending to examine them as I struggle to draw breath.</p>
<p><em>I'm sure as hell not fine. I feel like I've been crushed underfoot by a Bantha, then smashed in the head with a hammer. </em>I close my eyes and lower my head, focusing on each breath. A faint ringing echoes through my ears and the dizziness comes again. <em>Dank ferrik, what's wrong with me? I feel like I'm gonna throw up any second.</em></p>
<p>"Hey, Mando."</p>
<p>"Hmm?" I force my voice past the blockage in my throat.</p>
<p>Cara slips off her glove and flexes her fingers. "Care to go another round?"</p>
<p>I stare at her, my vision swerving out of focus. "Uh…" Taking a few shaky steps forward, I grope for the edge of the barrel, wheezing. My heart punches so hard against my ribcage that I'm surprised it hasn't broken anything. Dizziness hits me once more and everything goes black for a moment.</p>
<p>Black.</p>
<p>Pitch-black.</p>
<p>The darkness pulls away and everything's blurry.</p>
<p>Cara's in front of me, shouting, and I think I'm talking. I can't hear it. Her. Me.</p>
<p>Pain pulses through my right arm and I cry out.</p>
<p>A poisonous hand pulls me into unconsciousness and it's black again.</p>
<p>Pitch-black.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Care to go another round?" I smirk at him through my dark hair.</p>
<p>He lingers at the weapons rack. Moving away, he stumbles toward me. "Uh…" Mando reaches for edge of the barrel as he comes forward.</p>
<p><em>He doesn't sound too good. </em>I start to get up. "Hey, are you– ?"</p>
<p>He misses the barrel and crumples to the ground.</p>
<p>I rush to his side, steadying him as he slumps backward. "Mando!"</p>
<p>His breathing rasps through his modulator and he grips my wrist, wheezing. "S-spider… I think it…"</p>
<p>I lean him against the wall. "It's okay, it's okay. Steady."</p>
<p>The Child whines beside me.</p>
<p>Mando tenses, yelping, and goes limp in my arms.</p>
<p>My heartbeat skyrockets. "Mando?" I scramble to check his pulse. I find the skin of his neck– hot and clammy for the first time really touching him– and a rhythm drums against my fingers. It's slow, but it's there. A weak, sluggish pattern moving to the tick of his life's clock.</p>
<p>I chew at the inside of my lip. <em>I knew something wasn't right. Damn you, Mando...</em></p>
<p>The Child squeals beside me, his giant eyes welling with tears.</p>
<p>"It's okay, little guy. It'll be okay." I turn back to Mando and start stripping him of his Beskar. <em>What had he said before? Something about spiders?</em> As I reach for his right pauldron, I stop short at the heat radiating from underneath. <em>Spiders…?</em> An idea strikes me. <em>Dank ferrik, did he get bitten?</em> I remove his pauldron, gauntlets, and gloves and cut his sleeve away with my dagger to reveal–</p>
<p>I freeze.</p>
<p>A dark-blue gash tears across his upper arm, crusted with fractals of ice and dried blood. Heat like Nevarro's lava flats radiates from his arm.</p>
<p>Gritting my teeth, I lay my hands on his neck. A blistering heat comes upon contact. <em>Fever.</em></p>
<p>I take off the rest of his armor and set up the mattress for him. He doesn't even flinch as I carry him. He goes limp when I let go and slumps back onto the cot.</p>
<p>I pick the Child up and lean against the wall, sighing.</p>
<p>
  <em>What now?</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>The Child wiggles in my arms as I swivel the pilot's chair around in the cockpit. "Hold on, little guy. I'm almost done." I fiddle with some controls and a few button-presses activates a hologram. After a beep, Greef pops up on the transmission.</p>
<p>"Ah, Cara. It's good to hear from you. How's Trask?"</p>
<p>"It's wet and crowded, but I've seen worse." I lean back and kick my feet up on the control desk.</p>
<p>"I'm sure Mando is glad to finally have a lead."</p>
<p>"We have a problem."</p>
<p>Greef pauses. "A problem? What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"Mando's been poisoned." I bite my lip. "It's bad."</p>
<p>"From what?"</p>
<p>"One of those spiders from that ice planet got him. Do you have an anti-venom on Nevarro?"</p>
<p>Greef hums. "Uh… I'm sure we have one somewhere. I'll ask around and fly it out to you when I get the chance."</p>
<p>"Thanks, boss."</p>
<p>"How's the kid?"</p>
<p>I glance at the green creature waddling around the cockpit. "He's fine. He's chasing his own shadow."</p>
<p>Greef chuckles. "Well, the situation's certainly not getting him down."</p>
<p>I smirk at the baby's antics. "I gotta go and check on Mando. He's been unconscious for a few hours now."</p>
<p>"I'll keep you updated."</p>
<p>"Likewise."</p>
<p>I end the call and descend from the cockpit. As I lower myself on the ladder, Mando groans from the mattress, his head shifting.</p>
<p>The Child squeals and totters to his side.</p>
<p>Mando lifts his hand to the baby. "Kid…?"</p>
<p>He responds with a cheerful noise.</p>
<p>Mando releases a pained sigh and shivers. "Wh-what happened?"</p>
<p>I drape another blanket over him. "You passed out in the middle of my ship, saying something about spiders." I frown at him. "You finally gonna stop lying to me?"</p>
<p>Mando grunts. "Sorry." He tilts his head and looks around. "What time is it?"</p>
<p>I get to my feet and attach a holster to my thigh. "Almost dusk."</p>
<p>The Mandalorian tenses. "What? Dusk?" He starts to clamber to his feet. "I need to meet wi…" Trailing off, he pitches forward.</p>
<p>I catch him as he collapses. "Steady, Mando. I got you." Lowering him back onto the mattress, I nod at the Child. "He'll keep you company. I'll go in your stead and explain the situation."</p>
<p>Too sick to argue, Mando nods. "Thank you."</p>
<p>I pour him another bowl of bone broth and set it next to him. "Have that while I'm gone. I'd better not see it still sitting here when I get back, got it?"</p>
<p>He chuckles. "Copy."</p>
<p>I step out of the ship into the pasty darkness and Trask's heavy, moist atmosphere practically slaps me in the face. Breathing deep, I give myself a few seconds to get used to the sharp smell of pond slime and the groan of docking boats, then follow Mando's instructions along the edges of the docks. The old wood creaks under my feet, but if thousands upon thousands of creatures have walked along these planks, then it will hold. The moons cut silver shapes out of the sky and the stars hail the coming of twilight.</p>
<p>In the pallor of the smoky dusk, I see the silhouettes of the frog couple against the churning, oceanic horizon.</p>
<p>They croak and smile as I approach, their hands outstretched to shake.</p>
<p>I greet them with a reaction that I hope rivals their own enthusiasm.</p>
<p>Their amphibian expressions crumple as they search for their Beskar-clad companion and they turn to me with cocked heads.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, he couldn't come. He's– ."</p>
<p>The frog woman squeals, shaking her head. Her husband translates in Basic:</p>
<p>"He escorted my wife here. He was the one that wanted the information. And yet, he isn't present to hear us out? What is the problem?"</p>
<p>I cross my arms. "He's been poisoned and has fallen badly ill."</p>
<p>They glance at each other, whimpering. The husband turns to me. "According to my wife, he was fine the entire trip. What could have declined his health so rapidly?"</p>
<p>"He was poisoned defending you and his kid from the <em>horde</em> of spiders. I've come in place of him. Where are the Mandalorians that you know of?"</p>
<p>The frog woman lowers her head and whines.</p>
<p>"My wife apologizes for the trouble she caused. Is there anything we can do?"</p>
<p>I sigh, rubbing my forehead. "Unless you can un-poison him, no. Can we talk business?"</p>
<p>The husband nods. "Right. Yes. In the city, you'll find an inn. A Quarren named Scruntu can lead you to some."</p>
<p><em>Great. That's all I need to know.</em> "Thank you. I'll let him know."</p>
<p>The frog woman taps her husband and grunts.</p>
<p>I tilt my head to one side and raise an eyebrow at her companion.</p>
<p>"She would like to know your name."</p>
<p>"Oh." I offer my hand again as a parting gesture. "Cara Dune."</p>
<p>"I am Gushka, and my wife is Vatra. It is a pleasure to meet you."</p>
<p>I return the favor and plod back to my ship, buying a flagon of bone broth and a string of meat for Mando. As I near my ship, I hit a button on my belt and the hatch opens.</p>
<p>The Child spots me and cries out, waddling toward me with a smile on his face.</p>
<p>"Hey, little guy." I hoist him into my arms. "You make sure Mando had his soup?"</p>
<p>His brow furrows and his ears twitch.</p>
<p>Shrugging, I enter the ship and close the hatch.</p>
<p>Mando shifts on the cot. His blank visor tilts toward me. "How was it?"</p>
<p>I wince at the grizzly rasp in his voice. "Ouch. You sound terrible." The bowl beside the mattress is…empty. I raise my eyebrows and head toward the food compartment to put away the goods. "Wow. You actually drank it."</p>
<p>Mando groans. "It didn't stay down for long."</p>
<p>I glance over my shoulder. "Hmm?"</p>
<p>"It came back up around…half an hour ago, I don't know…" He slumps back against the cushions.</p>
<p>"Hey, hey." I drop to my knees at his side. "Take it easy. You've got a high fever."</p>
<p>Mando grumbles. "No wonder I'm so cold."</p>
<p>I fetch him some more blankets and check his pulse. "Still irregular. You're breathing a little fast, are you okay?"</p>
<p>My best friend scoffs. "I've been poisoned. Wh-what do y-you thi– ?" He breaks into a coughing fit and doubles over, wheezing.</p>
<p>I chew on my lip and bring him some food. "Here. Drink some more broth. I got you some meat as well. It might help your throat. I'm gonna check in with Greef."</p>
<p>"G-Greef?"</p>
<p>"He's checking in with the city to find an anti-venom."</p>
<p>"He came with you?"</p>
<p>"No, on Nevarro."</p>
<p>"Oh…" Mando deflates onto the mattress and goes quiet.</p>
<p>I pause on my way to the cockpit and glance toward him. "Eat. I won't have you going hungry." With that, I clamber into the cockpit and set to work cleaning some weapons. The silence turns my attention to the soft humming of the ship. Mando's heavy breathing rasps in the background and the Child's tiny footsteps tap on the hull's hardware.</p>
<p>Despite the situation, I let a smile onto my face. At least…Mando's being cared for. At least the kid's safe. If the Mandalorian had been stranded with the poison in his system, that…that wouldn't have ended well. Fighting for both him and the kid? He'd have been incapacitated before he could say womp rat.</p>
<p>The nighttime canvas stretches like a blanket across the cockpit and the surging waves swell on the horizon.</p>
<p>I click in Greef's contact and wait until he answers.</p>
<p>"Ah, Cara. How is Mando?"</p>
<p>"He's gotten worse. High fever. Any updates on the anti-venom?"</p>
<p>A sigh crackles across the transmission. "Not much luck. Some aliens at a bazaar said they'd try to cook something up. There's not much need for anti-venoms on Nevarro, just burn and heat exhaustion medication. I'll keep looking."</p>
<p>My stomach clenches. "Thank you."</p>
<p>"Please, if there's anything else I can do, let me know. I'll fly over there soon if you want."</p>
<p>"No, Nevarro needs you."</p>
<p>"As fond as I am of this city, I'm even more fond of my friends. Don't hesitate to call for help if you need me."</p>
<p>"I'll keep that in mind." I lean back and stretch, yawning.</p>
<p>"I'll let you get some rest. You sound tired."</p>
<p>I scoff. "I'll call you tomorrow, boss."</p>
<p>"Take care, Dune." Greef's hologram disappears and leaves me in silence once again. And in that silence, I find sleep.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Another fever dream tears through my conscious and I snap awake, gasping. Droids stomp in my mind's eye, firing, killing, felling body after body after body of my village, my friends, my family, my parents, the blood spraying through the air like crimson rain.</p>
<p>Sweat pours off me and my meal from yesterday fights to resurface. Groaning, I lay my head back and try to relax, but the cold shock of pain radiating through my right arm makes it impossible.</p>
<p>The Child gurgles beside me, blinking into my visor with his giant eyes.</p>
<p>"It-it's okay, b-buddy… I'm…" I trail off, panting. My body seizes with nausea and my stomach cramps. I haul myself to my feet and stagger toward the bathroom, swaying. I'm so dizzy that I can't walk in a straight line and I drag myself along the wall, desperately trying to keep everything down. When I reach the bathroom, I'm shaking so hard I can barely stand. Dizziness makes the room spin. I rip my helmet off and a clang rocks the ship. As soon as I drop to my knees, I double over and throw up last night's meal of meat and broth. My stomach heaves over and over again, forcing up the last bit of rations from yesterday, and it continues to churn long after it's emptied. When my body finally notices that I can't bring up anything else, I slump against the bathroom wall, gasping.</p>
<p>I'm shaking too hard to get up, and if I try, I'll probably black out. My body racked with feverish shivering, I hug my right arm to my chest and shut my eyes. My entire arm's gone numb and the pain has transitioned to a paralyzing cold.</p>
<p>"Mando? Can I come down?" Cara's voice echoes distantly from the cockpit.</p>
<p>I struggle for my helmet and shove it on. "Y-yeah…"</p>
<p>Her boots tap on the ladder rungs and, after a moment, I see her silhouette in the bathroom entrance. "Oh, Mando…" She comes to my side and kneels in front of me. Her freezing hands make contact with my neck and she hisses under her breath. "You're a furnace."</p>
<p>I haven't the strength to respond.</p>
<p>"Come on, let's get you back to bed." She gestures toward the vacc tube. "You all done in here?"</p>
<p>I nod. "There's nothing left."</p>
<p>"Can you walk?"</p>
<p>I shake my head. "S-sorry…"</p>
<p>Cara throws an arm around my shoulders and hauls me to my feet.</p>
<p>The pounding rush of blood in my ears drowns out her voice. A wave of dizziness catches me off guard and my vision blacks out. When I come to, I'm collapsed on the floor of the ship, trembling uncontrollably. Cara leans over me, clutching my shoulders. The familiar surge of pain zaps through my nerves and unconsciousness steals me away once more.</p>
<hr/>
<p>A metal clang jerks me awake and I tense in the pilot's seat. <em>What the hell was that?</em></p>
<p>I get to my feet and am about to reach for my blaster when I hear Mando vomiting from downstairs. My stomach ties itself in knots. <em>Dank ferrik… He just keeps getting worse. </em>I hover above the ladder. <em>He's obviously got his helmet off. I'll wait.</em> I clench and unclench my fists, fighting the urge to rush to his side. Mando's heavy retching is punctuated by coughing and painful groans in-between with the Child whining alongside him. After the first bout, he pauses, panting, and I'm about to call down to him when it restarts. I chew on the inside of my lip as he continues, gagging on nothing, and I pace around the cockpit, fetching medical supplies.</p>
<p>By the time he stops, he's been dry-heaving for a while. "Mando? Can I come down?"</p>
<p>After a moment's pause, I hear his weak answer: "Y-yeah…"</p>
<p>I inch down the ladder and approach him. He's slumped against the wall, cradling his right arm and shivering like a beast. "Oh, Mando…" I drop to my knees in front of him and feel his neck. I almost pull away at how hot his skin is. "You're a furnace."</p>
<p>My only response is his strained breathing.</p>
<p>"Come on, let's get you back to bed. You all done in here?"</p>
<p>He nods. "There's nothing left."</p>
<p>"Can you walk?"</p>
<p>He shakes his head. "S-sorry…"</p>
<p>I hook an arm around his shoulders and hoist him to his feet. He staggers, putting almost his entire weight on me. I can feel the heat pulsing from him like I'm standing next to lava and with every step toward the cot, he gets heavier. "Stay with me, buddy. I got you."</p>
<p>His feet drag over each other and his breath wheezes through his helmet. A tiny, nearly inaudible whimper sighs out of him and his legs buckle. He slips from my arms and crumples to the floor.</p>
<p>My heart trips over itself and I drop to his side. "Mando!" I grab his shoulders. "Mando, talk to me!"</p>
<p>But there's nothing.</p>
<p>He's slipped away again.</p>
<p>His skin is clammy beneath my fingers and as pale as his mattress. I find a vein and check his pulse. After waiting for a few heart-stopping seconds, I feel it. Weak. Slow. Almost nonexistent. The wound on his arm festers, black veins curling up and around his shoulder.</p>
<p>At this point, I know.</p>
<p>My best friend is dying.</p>
<p>Tears burn in my eyes. <em>Damn those spiders… What are they doing to you?</em></p>
<p>The kid lays a hand on my wrist and peers up at me with his teary eyes.</p>
<p>I can't lie to him now. "You're dad's in bad shape, little one. But I-I'm gonna fix this. I will."</p>
<p>
  <em>I have to.</em>
</p>
<p>I'm reassuring myself more than the kid.</p>
<p>
  <em>I must.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I can't lose him.</em>
</p>
<p>I drag him back onto his bed and contact Greef.</p>
<p>
  <em>Pick up, damn you. I don't care that it's the middle of the night.</em>
</p>
<p>After a long and torturous five seconds, Greef's tired voice crackles into being. "Cara? What's wrong? Is it Mando?"</p>
<p>"He's dying."</p>
<p>A pause.</p>
<p>A long pause.</p>
<p>Then–</p>
<p>"<em>What? </em>What do you mean, he's dying?"</p>
<p>"The poison's killing him. Slowly, he's losing the battle. He keeps passing out, his fever's way too high, he was throwing up earlier, I… Greef, I don't know what to do." A sob catches on my final word.</p>
<p>Greef grinds his teeth together. "Dank ferrik, it's bad…" He pauses, holding his breath. "All right, I'm coming."</p>
<p>"Wait, what?"</p>
<p>"I'll be there within the hour."</p>
<p>"No, Greef– ."</p>
<p>"Cara, if one of my favorite people is going to lose his life tonight, there's no way in hell I'm staying where I can't guide him to the gate."</p>
<p>Tears burn in my eyes. "Okay. I'll see you soon."</p>
<p>Greef ends the call and I deflate into the pilot's chair. Sleep draws near, and nearer still is my best friend's death. He would want a warrior's death, and poison isn't the way the grant that wish.</p>
<p>I'm about to let my eyelids slip closed when a massive <em>thump</em> rattles the entire ship.</p>
<p>I leap to my feet, a hand on my blaster. The Child squeaks from below.</p>
<p>The bang repeats itself and the ship trembles. I half-slide, half-trip down the ladder into the hull and approach the hatch.</p>
<p>
  <em>Thud, thud, thud.</em>
</p>
<p>A grizzly, muffled voice echoes from outside. "We know you're in there!"</p>
<p>My body tenses. <em>We?</em></p>
<p>"Open up, mudscuffer! We outnumber you! If you want to guarantee the Mandalorian's safety, then you'll lower the hatch."</p>
<p>I glance over at my unconscious friend. So vulnerable with no armor but his helmet, too weak to even stand, deadly poison flowing through his veins…</p>
<p>I step forward, hit the button, and the hatch creaks open. As it lowers, the moonlight reveals a group of armed Quarren, four at most, with spears and hooks in their hands.</p>
<p>I grit my teeth. "What do you want?"</p>
<p>"We know you're no match for us. That famed warrior is barely alive as it is." The nearest Quarren jabs a finger toward Mando.</p>
<p>The Mandalorian groans, shifting on the mattress. His head turns toward the entrance. "Wh…what…? What's– ?" He breaks off with a cough.</p>
<p>"Don't worry, buddy. I'll deal with this."</p>
<p>The Quarrens laugh, slapping each other on the backs. "You want to avoid bloodshed, right?"</p>
<p>I growl under my breath. "I won't hesitate to kill you all if you make one move toward him."</p>
<p>"Choose: The kid or the Beskar."</p>
<p>Mando's breathing hitches from behind me.</p>
<p>I peer over my shoulder at the Child, who whines at Mando's side.</p>
<p>The group of Quarren move forward unanimously and I draw my blasters. "Not another step!"</p>
<p>"Then choose! The pet or the Beskar!"</p>
<p>Silence.</p>
<p>The waves roll outside.</p>
<p>More silence.</p>
<p>My finger sweats on the trigger. <em>Dank ferrik! What should I do?</em></p>
<p>Mando groans, shifting.</p>
<p>I glance back at him and–</p>
<p>He's stumbling to his feet.</p>
<p>"Hey!" I rush to his side as he sways. "What are you doing?"</p>
<p>"Ch-choosing." He raises his hands and grips both sides of his helmet.</p>
<p>My heartbeat surges and every word dies on my lips.</p>
<p>
  <em>No, he's–</em>
</p>
<p>Mando starts to lift it.</p>
<p>
  <em>He's not–</em>
</p>
<p>And just like that, the helmet's off.</p>
<p>It drops to the ground with a resounding clang and he works his jaw.</p>
<p>I barely have time to take everything in– the deathly pale skin, the faint stubble, the light mustache, the sweaty mop of brown hair, the glazed, bloodshot eyes– before a blaster shot tears through his side.</p>
<p>He crumples to the ground, crying out.</p>
<p>"No!" I face the advancing Quarren, jamming the triggers. Flashes of red fill the ship.</p>
<p>One Quarren rushes forward, spear raised. I catch it with one hand and punch his abdomen. He grunts, growls, and takes my arm, yanking me toward him. I use it as momentum and tackle him, landing a fist in his face.</p>
<p>A shadow falls over me and I leap back, raising my blasters. Another brute hurls a spear at me, knocking a gun from my hands. Two more Quarrens rise with the first and surround me.</p>
<p>I grab one of the spears and twist his arm. A jab of pain hits me where a hook stabs my side, then my leg. I drop to my knees and trip one of them, grabbing their weapon. I raise my arm to strike–</p>
<p>The end of a spear slams into my temple and my vision goes white. My head hits the ground and the spear slips from my grip. Faintly, somewhere, the Quarrens scoff, and somewhere, they prod my half-conscious body with their weapons. They grumble amongst themselves.</p>
<p>"She's down."</p>
<p>"Let's finish her off."</p>
<p>"Where's that kid?"</p>
<p>"Who cares! We've– !"</p>
<p>A flash of steel, and the Quarren cuts off with a choke. A body thumps beside me and I fight to focus.</p>
<p>A blurry figure grapples with the other Quarrens.</p>
<p>I blink hard. "Greef?"</p>
<p>When the action clears, I see it's not Greef.</p>
<p>Mando, his weakened, broken body whirling like a dancer, fights with the remaining Quarrens. He ducks under a spear jab and kicks one in the knee. Bringing his hand up, he blocks a punch and elbows another in the face. But the poison has taken its toll. I can see the sweat pouring off of him, and I can hear the breath wheezing in his chest. He goes to throw another punch, and the Quarren catches it. The other squeezes his wounded arm and jabs his knee into Mando's stomach.</p>
<p>Mando grunts, coughing. He collapses, gasping, and doubles over, hugging his stomach.</p>
<p>I clamber to my feet, my head pounding, and draw a dagger and a blaster. Three more. I raise the blaster…</p>
<p>
  <em>Bam!</em>
</p>
<p>All three go rigid, their tentacles trembling. They crumple to the ground, steaming blaster holes gaping on their backs.</p>
<p>I jerk my head up. <em>Who…?</em></p>
<p>Greef stands at the bottom of the hatch, a gigantic gun in his hands.</p>
<p>A smile crosses my face. "Oh, Greef… Thank you…"</p>
<p>He shoves the Quarren bodies off the hatch and hurries up. "Seems I arrived just in time. You all right?"</p>
<p>I nod, wincing a little. "Yeah. A concussion, maybe, but I'll be fine." I hurry over to Mando.</p>
<p>His eyes flutter open and he grits his teeth. "N-need…my helmet…" He struggles to his feet and braces himself against the wall.</p>
<p>"Mando, you shouldn't be standing." I hold on to him as he wobbles.</p>
<p>He opens his mouth like he's going to speak, but pauses, the color draining from his face. He twists away from me, hunches over, and retches up a stream of bile.</p>
<p>Greef glances back, frowning. "Damn."</p>
<p>Mando shuts his eyes, panting. He takes a few steps back, leaning on the wall. His legs buckle and I catch him on the way down. "Easy, Mando."</p>
<p>His eyes flutter open, hazy and unfocused. He gropes for my hand and squeezes it. "I'm s-sorry…"</p>
<p>I cock my head. "For what?"</p>
<p>"You g-got hurt…because of m-me…"</p>
<p>I shake my head and ignore the pain from my wounds. "No, it's okay." I fold a few sweaty strands of his hair out of his face and the heat coming off of him zings through my skin.</p>
<p>Mando groans. "S-so this…this is how…I die…"</p>
<p>My heart jumps to my throat. "Sh-shut up. No one's dying today." I fight to keep the panic from my voice.</p>
<p>Mando's breathing is erratic to match his blood pressure. His fingers tighten around my hand, his pupils dilating. "I'm-I'm glad…the kid saw me…without the helmet…"</p>
<p>The Child rests his head on Mando's leg, whimpering. His ears are drooping so low that they almost touch the ends of his robes.</p>
<p>"Kid, I– ." A coughing fit rattles his body and he doubles over. Each cough is heavy and painful, spasming through him. Near the end, he starts retching again and blood trickles from his mouth.</p>
<p>My heartbeat escalates. "Whoa, whoa!" I support him as he slumps against the wall, crimson foaming on his cracked lips. Every breath crackles from his chest like a pebble bouncing around in his ribcage. He turns his failing attention back to the Child. "Kid…" He reaches a finger and his son grabs it. "I broke m-my Creed for you and I-I'd…do it again… I love you, kid."</p>
<p>The Child snuggles up to his father, whining.</p>
<p>"C-Cara…"</p>
<p>I face my best friend, tears running down my cheeks. "Mando, you can't die. You can't leave your kid alone. I can't care for that mudscuffer and you know it!"</p>
<p>He repeats my name. "Cara."</p>
<p>I pause.</p>
<p>"You h-have to s-say goodbye."</p>
<p>I burst into tears and lean into his chest, crushing him in a hug.</p>
<p>He wraps his trembling arms around me and strokes my hair. "Cara…"</p>
<p>I pull away, still crying, and look him in the eyes. "I can't lose you."</p>
<p>His eyes clear, for just a second, and scan my face. "Neither can I." His tongue brushes his lips and he bends forward.</p>
<p>
  <em>Wait, he's–</em>
</p>
<p>Then Din kisses me.</p>
<p>And I can feel Greef watching us.</p>
<p>His lips linger on mine for a split second before he pulls away. He averts his gaze. "S-sorry."</p>
<p>"Don't be." I stroke his stubbled jawline and bring my lips to his. This time, I take it all in. The warmth of his fever, the coppery taste of the blood on his lips, the catch of his breath as I bridge the gap… My fingernails scrape at his stubble and I smile. For how rough his skin is, I don't expect how soft his lips are. My body tingles and heat blooms in my chest as his lips explore mine. His passion takes form and he growls against my mouth, hungry. We come apart to lock gazes before connecting again, and his eyes are bright, chestnut crescents wreathed in moonlight. Out next kiss cuts shorts when he convulses, grunting.</p>
<p>My heart skips a beat. "Mando?"</p>
<p>He pulls away, his face drained of color. His right arm twitches and the black veins trickle down to his chest– right over his heart. He whimpers and his head falls into my lap.</p>
<p>"Mando!"</p>
<p>Greef appears at my side again and checks his pulse. "The poison's reached his heart. He's close."</p>
<p>
  <em>To death.</em>
</p>
<p>I stroke his hair as he fights for every breath.</p>
<p>Greef rubs my back. "Now…it's just a matter of waiting until he…" The magistrate trails off, but we both know what he's not saying.</p>
<p>A harsh, amphibian croak jars us from the moment and we whip toward the entrance.</p>
<p>Gushka and Vatra stand at the bottom of the hatch, their faces tight and their smiles forced. The amphibian couple trots toward us.</p>
<p>Greef draws a blaster on them. "Not another step!"</p>
<p>"No, Greef!" I raise a hand to stop him. "Lower your blaster! These are friends." Turning to the frog humanoids, I address them. "He's dying. There's nothing you can do."</p>
<p>Gushka fishes something from his pocket and holds it out to me.</p>
<p>I squint, craning my neck. A small vial sits in his webbed hand, filled with a transparent, purple liquid. I tip my chin up toward the newcomers, my eyes wide. <em>No. It's not. It can't be. I'm just desperate. It can't be.</em> Despite my mental war, I can't help but ask. "What is that?"</p>
<p>Gushka drops it into my hand. "An anti-venom. We found one in the tavern. Seafood poisoning is common here, so most Trask cities have one."</p>
<p>Tears burn in my eyes. "Th-thank you."</p>
<p>Greef drops to his knees at Mando's side. "Quick, Marshal. We haven't much time."</p>
<p>"Right." I pop open the vial and gingerly face Mando's wound toward me. My hands tremble as I angle the vial downward, shaking the liquid inside.</p>
<p>Greef takes my hand. "Let me."</p>
<p>I nod and watch as he drizzles the serum into the inflamed wound.</p>
<p>Mando moans, shifting.</p>
<p>"Hey, hey, it's okay." I stroke his hair. "Shhh… It's gonna be okay."</p>
<p>Greef empties the vial and Mando falls deeper into unconsciousness.</p>
<p>My best friend's face regains some of its color and the furrow between his eyebrows unties itself.</p>
<p>Greef slumps back against the wall, sighing. "Well, he's sleeping better at least." He glances at me. "He's gonna be fine. That anti-venom will do its work. Slowly, perhaps, but he'll recover."</p>
<p>My relief is so great that I almost collapse. Instead, it bubbles up from my chest and I start…laughing. Crying. Or a combination of the two. Whatever it is, I welcome it.</p>
<hr/>
<p>I return from the market with meat flung over my shoulder and dump it in my ship's storage compartment. "Greef?" I start my way up the ladder. "Greef, you up here?" When I don't get an answer, I pop my head into the cockpit and-</p>
<p>My best friend sits in the pilot's chair, stripped of his Beskar, his right arm wrapped in a thin bandage.</p>
<p>A smile breaks across my face. "You're awake."</p>
<p>He turns his head and the shaggy, brown curls tremble. His eyes catch the grey light from outside and twinkle in the shadows.</p>
<p>The Child peeks over at me from his lap and squeals.</p>
<p>I clamber into the cockpit and stand across from him, leaning on the wall. "You look a lot better."</p>
<p>"I <em>feel</em> a lot better." His voice rasps from disuse.</p>
<p>I cross-examine him– his flushed face, his soft eyes, his hands around his kid, the bacta patch over the blaster wound… "I almost lost you. Yesterday." I grind my teeth together. "You really scared me."</p>
<p>Mando's eyes flick up to me. "Sorry."</p>
<p>Silence.</p>
<p>"How's your concussion?"</p>
<p>"Not bad. Getting better." I bite my lip, knowing what's on our minds. The Bantha in the room weighs heavily on us both.</p>
<p>"Thank you, Cara." Mando strokes the Child's wrinkly head. "You looked after me day and night, through my pain and your panic. You saved me, and I'll never be able to repay you for that."</p>
<p>I grin. "Well, technically, Gushka and Vatra did that. I just kept you alive until then."</p>
<p>Mando scoffs. "You paid them?"</p>
<p>"Handsomely."</p>
<p>"Good."</p>
<p>More silence.</p>
<p>Finally, I can keep it down no longer. "We need to talk about what happened yesterday."</p>
<p>Din tenses.</p>
<p>"You know what I'm talking about. What you did?"</p>
<p>My best friend twitches in his seat. "I was dying. I didn't think I had much time."</p>
<p>"Time?" I smirk. "To do what?"</p>
<p>"To…"</p>
<p>"Yes?"</p>
<p>Din jerks to his feet, slapping his hands on the armrests. "Damn it, Cara! I don't know what happened, okay? I can't explain it! I just...felt like it needed to happen."</p>
<p>He continues, fumbling over his words, as I'm standing there, barely holding back my laughter. His justifications fade into the background as I think back to yesterday. His abrupt kiss, his initiation, my reciprocation, our shared hunger…</p>
<p>For some reason, I still keep replaying his growl in my head.</p>
<p>And for that reason, I cross the distance of the cockpit and stop his words with a kiss.</p>
<p>One second. Two.</p>
<p>I pull away, my hands cupping his face.</p>
<p>His eyes search mine, a shy smile playing on his lips. "You– ?"</p>
<p>I bridge the gap and pin him against the wall. He laughs against my mouth, his hands on my shoulders.</p>
<p>Without the fever, the blood, the threat of death, we can rest in each other's presence, exploring each other, feeling each other, loving each other.</p>
<p>This isn't a fever dream. This is real.</p>
<hr/>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I SHIP THEM SO HARD OK</p>
<p>Speaking of shipping them, I have a YT channel called Lavender Twilight where I'm starting to make a lot of mandalorian edits (i made one of caradin) so if you want go check that out :P.</p>
<p>Read and review!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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